7/16/2009
Residents unveil plans of their own for Barley Mill, Greenville Center - Community News

By Jesse Chadderdon
Community News
Posted Jul 16, 2009 @ 09:22 PM
Last update Jul 16, 2009 @ 10:58 PM

Greenville, Del. —
It's common for citizens to band together to oppose a development project in their community, but New Castle County's Citizens for Responsible Growth (CRG) took it one step further by hiring a firm to design its own alternatives for two Stoltz development company plans proposed for Greenville.

The Issue

Since they were proposed in March of 2009, residents have been leery of the size and scope of proposals for Barley Mill Plaza and Greenville Center. Traffic has been a major concern, as proposed building height and overall density.

What we knew

Stoltz is proposing a 2.8 million-square-foot town center at Barley Mill Plaza featuring retail, residential and office buildings. Some of the buildings in the plan are eight stories tall, and residents -- particularly those living in Westover Hills and other nearby communities -- say that isn't in character with the area.
Similarly, Stoltz' plan for a 12-story tower at Greenville Center on Kennett Pike has residents up in arms. The tallest building in Greenville currently is four stories.

What's news

On Wednesday, July 15, CRG presented its own proposal to residents. Drafted by the Torti Gallas firm, the proposal downsizes buildings to more palatable heights and design features they say will curb traffic by promoting pedestrian access.

The CRG Barley Mill proposal cuts the maximum building height in half and nearly halves Stoltz' plan to 1.5 million-square-feet. CRG's Greenville Center plan preserves the same square-footage Stoltz is pursuing, but cuts down on the height of new construction.

The bottom line

To view site plans, visit stoltzusa.com and click on "portfolio."

CRG Chairman Mark Chura said the goal of the meeting was to begin forming community consensus for each site and that he's optimistic negotiations will bear fruit.

The Stoltz plans, however, are "by-right," meaning as long as they are determined to meet requirements of New Castle County's Land Use code, they could be built as designed. Rezonings are not necessary at either site.

What they're saying

"I don't want anyone to think if we move this box here and this box here [on the plans] that it's going to happen. But what we need is some agreement on the design principles you would like to see."
Mark Chura, Chairman, Citizens for Responsible Growth

"Our Barley Mill and Greenville plans are the product of a great deal of time and effort. They are quality plans designed by an award-winning firm that meet the requirements of the code and have received conditional approval from the New Castle County Department of Land Use. As Mark and others said at the CRG meeting, the intent of their plans is to spark discussion and not to dictate a design for land that is owned by someone else. That is an important distinction.”
Tom Gailey, Stoltz spokesperson
 

A comparison of the Stoltz and CRG proposals for Barley Mill Plaza.

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